Would your like to go on a vacation to the Disney theme parks in California or Florida without going into serious debt? Believe it or not, you can go to Disney without breaking the bank. You just need to have a plan and follow some basic cost-saving strategies.
Introduction
My five-year old daughter starting asking my wife and me to take her to Disney World almost as soon as she could talk. Since our family lives off of a very modest income, however, I always worried that we would not be able to take her until I finished graduate school. With some careful planning and penny pinching, we were able to make the trip in January of this year. In addition, we were able to pay for the entire trip in cash, which was much less expensive in the long run than paying off credit card interest. My goal in this entry is to share some money saving tips that will help you make your Disney vacation plans a reality. We had a great time on a small budget and so can you.
When to go
If you want to visit the Disney Theme Parks in Florida or California without breaking the bank, you should take your trip during a slow time of the year for the theme parks. Disney refers to these times as “value seasons.” The value seasons vary by year, but generally occur in parts of January-February, September-October, and November-December (after Thanksgiving weekend and before Christmas week). I have included a link to a page on the Disney website that provides dates for each of Disney’s “seasons” and provides examples of how much you can save by traveling during a value season. Keep in mind that your savings are based on staying at a Disney Resort. If you stay in a non-resort hotel, your prices will vary (though non-resort hotels will also be less expensive during off-peak times).